Counterweight system



Dec. 17, 1935.

w. w. EAGER ET AL y 2,024,724

COUNTERWEIGHT .SYSTEM Filed Sept. 13, 1952 j-NVENT nl; 5 WWER @E11Patented Dec. 17, 1935 COUNTERWEIGHT SYSTEM -Wesley W. Eager, LosAngeles, and Columbus A. Tierney, San Marino, Calif.

Application September 13, 1932, Serial No. 632,943

21 Claims. (Cl. ,Z0-19) r trice 15.: terbalanced in such a manner thatthe door will This invention relates to counterweight systems, and hasfor an object the provision of a highly eicient counterweight system,which is particularly designed for, but not necessarily llimited to, usein conjunction with the closure forming the subject matter of ouroo-pending application Serial No. 620,884, led July 5, 1932. The presentinvention is a division in part and in part is an improvement over thesubject matter ,of the said co-pending application.

A more detailed object is the provision of a counterweight systemwhereby any suitable load, such as a door mounted for swinging movementabout a horizontal axis, can eiectively be counremain without fasteningin any position to which it can be moved.

Another object is to provide a counterweight system wherein the weightwhereby the load is `counterbalanced is carried by a system of me-.system which comprises a container adapted to be transported andmounted in operative relation to the remainder of the counterweightsystem when empty and consequently much lighter than when in actual usewhen it is filled to the proper level with any suitable weightingmaterial, By employing a container of rectangular cross-sectionalconguration and of appropriate dimensions, it is especially adapted toreceive a pluraliiy of common bricks, which t nicely therein, and ofwhich the appropriate number may be supplied to aggregate the necessaryweight.

Another object is to provide a counterweight system of the general classdescribed in which are employed especially eiiicient means forconnecting the counterweight to the load, so as to prevent as muchrictional resistance to the movement of the parts as possible, therebyenhancing the ease with which the device can be operated and increasingthe length of time during which it can be used without necessitatingrepair or replacement of parts.

A further object is to provide a device of the general characterdescribed, in the design of which particular attention has been paid toefliciency kand ease of operation, simplicity and ruggedness ofconstruction, facility of assembly and durability and generalserviceability of the assembled mechanism.

The invention possesses other objects and valuable features, some ofwhich, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the followingdescription of the preferred form of our invention. It is to beunderstood that we do not limit ourselves to the specific disclosuremade by the said description,

as we may adopt variations of the preferred form 10 within the scope ofour invention, as set forth in the claims.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a transverse, Vertical sectional View taken through a doorand showing in side elevation a counterweight system operably associatedtherewith and constructed in accordance with the principles of ourinvention.

Figure 2 is a View similar to Figure 1 but showing the door andcounterweight system in the opposite extremes of their respectivemovements.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional View, the plane of section beingindicated by the line 3 3 of Figure 2, with the direction of View asindicated by the arrows.

Figure 4 is a View in side elevation of a portion of a slightly modifiedform of our improved counterweight system.

Figure 5 is a View similar to Figure 4, but showing another slightlymodied form.

For the purpose of the present disclosure, one embodiment of ourimproved counterweight system has been illustrated upon Figures 1 to 3inclusive, as being operatively associated with a 'door 6 mounted forpivotal movement about the 35 horizontal axis of a bearing or journal 'lin such a manner that when closed the door 6 occupies a verticalposition as illustrated upon Figure 2, in closing relation to an opening3 in a wall or partition 9, and when open occupies a horizontal, 40

overhead position, extending through the opening 8, as illustrated uponFigure l. Inasmuch as the details of construction and method of mountingof the door 6 form the subject matter of our co-pending application,mentioned hereinabove, suffice it for the purpose of the presentdisclosure to explain that the means for pivotally Amounting the doorcomprises a plurality of aligned brackets H (only one of which isillustrated) rigid with the wall or partition 9, and

preferably a similar number of brackets l2, each of which is rigid withthe door 6. Each of the stationary brackets il comprises a leg I3inclining upwards and inwards from the wall 9 and another leg Vlltinclining downwards and inwards v from the wall S to intersect the legI3 and be rigidly joined thereto. Each of the stationary brackets IIcarries one of the journals 'I through which a stub shaft IB extends,all of these shafts I5 being in axial alignment and providing the kmeansfor pivotally supporting the door 6. This is accomplished by rigidlyfastening as by a nut Il each of the door brackets i2 to an end of theassociated stub shaft I6, as best illustrated upon Figure 3. As is alsoexplained in our previously led application, reference to which has beenmade hereinabove, the alined axes of the stub', shafts lie within theplane which also includes the center of gravity of the door 6 and whichinclines upwards and inwards at substantially 45 with respect to theplane of the door E. It should be understood that whereas we haveillustrated our improved counterweight system as being operativelyassociated with a door 6 of the type forming the subject matter of ouraforesaid co-pending application, we do not wish to be limited to suchuse of our counterweight system, inasmuch as it is adaptable to variousother types of closures and, indeed, in a great many installations whereit is desirable to provide an efficient counterweight for practicallyany type of load.

As many of the improved counterweight systems as may be desirable ornecessary are employed with each door or closure 6. However, inasmuch asall those employed with each door are of identical counstruction, itwill be suificient to describe but one of them. This counterweightsystem which is indicated in its entirety at 2| is connected to its load(i. e., the door 6) through the expedient of an arm 22 which is rigidlyconnected'as by a nut 23 to the end of the stub shaft I6 opposite thatto which the associated door bracket I2 is connected, This is animportant detail of construction of our device inasmuch as 40 itdistributes the force applied by the counterweight system 2| and theforce applied by the door 3 upon opposite sides of the journal 1,thereby preventing the twisting effect upon the bracket I I carrying thejournal 'I which would be applied thereto were both these forces appliedat the same end of the journal "I, This assists in holding all the saidshafts I6 accurately in coaxial alignment and thus reduces to anabsolute minimum the frictional resistance to motion of the stub shaftsIG within their respective journals 'I.

The arm 22 is pivotally connected as by a pin 26 to a lever 21; and fromone end 28 of the lever 2l a counterweight 2S is suspended, as willreadily be understood from observation of Figures l and 2, As is alsoexplained in application Serial No. 620,884, of which this applicationis a division in part, the axis of the pin 26 whereby the force of thecounterweight 29 is applied to the arm22, also lies within the planewhich includes the axes of the stub shafts and the center of gravity ofthe door 6. Hence the respective turning moments of the door and of thecounterweight 29 about the axes of the stub shafts are always equal toeach other, regardless of the position to which the door is moved. Theresult of this feature is that the counterweight system is able tosustain the door motionless in any position to which the door can bemoved, without the necessity of fastening the door in that position.These figures show that when the door swings from closed position(Figure 2) to open position (Figure l), the arm 22 swings downwardsthrough 90 of rotation about the axis of the journal 'I, carrying withit the pin 26 which is connected to the mid-portion of the lever 2l. Asthe pin 26 moves downwards, the lever 21 swings in clockwise directionabout the axis of a pin 32 whereby a roller 33 is journaled on the otherend 3G of the lever 2l, and the pin 3i whereby the weight 29 ispivotally connected to the lever 21 will also 5 move downwards butthrough twice the distance traversed by the pin 26. Thus, it may be seenthat the moment of the force exerted by the counterweight 29 is equal tothe weight ofthe counterweight 29 ,multiplied by the distance between 10and the claims. Similarly, the effective length 20 of the end 28 of thelever 2l will be considered as designating the distance between the axesof the pins 3| and 26; and the effective length of the'end 3|! of thelever 2l will be considered to indicate the distance between the axis ofthe pin 25 2t and the pin 32. The distance between the axes of the pins26 and 32 is equal to the distance between the axes of the pins 26 and3|, i. e., the effective length of the end 30 of the lever is equal tothe effective length 23 thereof; and each of 30 these distances is equalto the effective length of the arm 22.

Inasmuch as the axes of the shaft Il and the pin 32 about which the arm22 and lever 2l,

respectively, turn, are spaced apart and since 35 the arm 22 and lever2'I are interconnected by the pin 23, it is necessary to compensate fortheir arcuate movements in opposite directions in order to permitfreedom of movement of the meinbers. In the modification illustrated,this is ac- 4, complished by permitting the pin 32 to vary its distancefrom the shaft I'I, preferably by movement in a horizontal path.Accordingly, means are provided for guiding the roller 33 for movementwith its axis in the horizontal plane which 4 includes the axis of thejournal i. In this manner, a moving fulcrum for the lever 2l isprovided. This guiding means comprises a track 36 preferably in the formof an angle iron which may conveniently be a horizontal extension of 5either of the legs I3 or I4, say the leg I3 of the stationary bracketII. VThe roller 33 is disposed in rolling engagement with the track 36;and the parts are so proportioned and arranged that the axis of the pin32 is disposed in parallelism 5 with and in horiontal alignment with theaxis of the journal "I,

Owing to the equality of the effective lengths of the arm 22 and theends 23 and Sil of the lever 21, the pin 3| whereupon the counterweight29 is 6 suspended, will traverse a perfectly straight, vertical path inmoving from one extreme of its motion to the other. This follows fromthe fact that even though both the arm 22 and the end 23 of the leverswing about their respective axes 65 .movementof the lever 21 whichpermits ythe pin 3| to move in a truly vertical pathis madepossible lbythe moving fulcrum for the lever 21 which is provided by the roller33-and track36. As the arm`22 swings downwards fromthe positionillustrated upon Figure-2 toward that position in which it extendshorizontally, the entire lever 21 swings in clockwise rotation `with theend3 moving inwards away fromfthe wall 9, and after the horizontalposition of the arm V22 has been passed, these parts move back rtowardthe Wall 9. These movements of the lever 21 occur in reverse order asthe counterweight 2B is being raised, i. e. while the door is beingclosed; and the consequent motion of the pin 32 carried by the end 30 ofthe lever 21 toward and away from the axis-of the bearing 1 is madepossible because of the rolling engagement of the roller 33 upon thetrack 35.

Figure 4 shows a slightly modiiied formi of device for providing thismoving fulcrum. I-Iere the lower leg I3 of the stationary bracket I',instead of being bent to horizontality, is continued straight on beyondthe journal 1"and hasa link 4| pivoted to its upper end as by a pin 42.'I'he lever 21 upon which the counterweight (not shown) is suspended ispivoted intermediate its ends to the arm 22 which is rigid with'the load(not shown) and which is constructed similarly Ato the arm 22 of thepreviously described modification. The end 30 of the lever 21' which isopposite the end 28' from which the counterweight is suspended ispivoted to the link 4| as by a pin 43. Hence, the link 4| isvoontinuallyin compression, it being understood that the counterweight tends to makethe lever 21' rotate in a clockwise direction about the pin 26' wherebythe lever 21 is pivoted tothe arm22'. The link 4| is enabled toswingfrom the full line position shown upon Figure 4 to the dotted lineposition, thereby permitting the shifting of the pin 43 which isanalogous to the horizontal movement of the pin 42 whereupon the roller33 is journaled. 'It should be explained, however, that in thismodiication, owing to the slight deviation of the pin 43 from trulyhorizontalmovement, the movement of the counterweight is not asaccurately in a straight vertical line as in the case of the previouslydescribed modication.

Figure 5 shows still another modified form which is identical with thatillustrated upon Figure 4, with the exception that itis the upper legI4" instead of the lower leg I3" of the stationary bracket which isextended to provide the stationary support for the link 45 to which theafter end 35 of the lever 21" vis pivoted. In this modification the link46 is continually under tension.

Another advantage gained as a result oi using the constructionhereinabove described is that the lever 21 never moves to verticalposition. In the lowermost position of the counterweight, the leverinclines downwards from the pin 32 at substantially 45, and as thecounterweight moves upwards, the lever 21 swings upwards until itinclines upwards from the pin 32 at substantially 45. Hence, the lever21 is always inclined at least substantially 45 from the vertical, theresult being that the turning moment of the counterweight, as well asthat of the door 6, is always in excess of zero. The importance of thisis that at least a portion of the forces exerted by the counterweightand the door are exerted directly against each other at all times,thereby taking up all lost motion, and the parts cannot be swung to apositionwherein anylloo'sen'ess ini the bearings or other` parts willpermit the door to vmoveeven slightly without a corresponding movementof `the counterweight.

The construction of the counterweight 29 is 5 another important detailof our invention. Although the entire counterweight system would operatewith equal eiliciency with any type of suitable weight, we prefer toemploy a hollow conltainer5| suspended in a suitable hanger 52 from 10porting said closure, a counterweight, and means 25 'interconnectingsaid-closure and said counterweight whereby their respective turningmoments about said pivot means are equal to each other in all positionsof said closure.

2. In combination, a closure, pivotmeans sup- 30 porting said closurefor movement'about a horizontal axis, a counterweight, and meansinterconnecting said closure and said counterweight Ywherebyr theirrespective turning moments about said pivot means are equal to eachother in all 35 positions of said closure.

3. In combination, a closure, pivot means supporting said closure formovement about a horizontal axis and supporting the entireweiglit ofsaid closure in all positions thereof, a counter- 40 weight, and meansinterconnecting said closure and said counterweight whereby theirrespective turning moments about said pivot means areequal to each otherin all positions of said closure.

4. In combination, a closure, pivot means sup- 45 porting said closurefor movement about a horizontal axis, and Vmeans for releasablyretaining said closure in any position to which it can be movedcomprising a counterweight and means operatively connecting saidcounterweight 'to 'said 50 closure .and supporting said counterweightfor movement proportionally with the movement of said closure and in asubstantially straight line.

5. A counterweight system for balancing apredetermined load mounted upona supporting 55 structure for movement about a given axis, comprising anarm rigid with said load and extending beyond said axis therefrom, alever pivoted between its ends to said arm, a weight carried by one endof said lever, -and means movably con- 60 necting the other end of saidlever to said supporting structure.

6. A counterweight system for balancing a predetermined load mountedupon a supporting structure for movement about a given axis, com- 65prising an arm rigid with said load and extending `beyond said axistherefrom, a lever pivoted between its ends to said arm, a weightcarried by one end of said lever, and means connecting the other end ofsaid lever to said supporting struc- 70 ture and for guiding said otherend in movement substantially in a plane including said axis.

7. A counterweight system fo-r'balancing a predetermined load mountedupon la supporting structure 'for movement about a given axis, com- 775prisingan arm rigid with said load and extending beyond said axistherefrom, a lever pivoted between its ends to said arm, a weightcarried by one end of said lever, and means connecting the other end ofsaid lever to said supporting structure and for guiding said other endtoward and away from said axis.

8. A counterweight system for balancing a predetermined load mountedupon a supporting structure for movement about a given axis, comprisingan arm rigid with said load and extending beyond said axis therefrom, alever pivoted between its ends to said arm, a weight carried by one endof said lever, and means connecting the other end of said lever to saidsupporting struc- -ture and for guiding said other end, and meansproviding a movable fulcrum for the other end 'of said lever.

9. A counterweight system for balancing a predetermined load mountedupon a supporting Cil structure for movement about a horizontal axis,comprising an arm connected to said load and extending beyond said axistherefrom, a lever pivoted between its ends to said arm, a weightcarried by one end of said lever, and means movably retaining the otherend or" said lever substantially Within the horizontal plane of saidaxis.

-10. A counterweight system for balancing a predetermined load mountedupon a supporting structure for movement about a horizontal axis,comprising an arm connected to said load and extending beyond said axistherefrom, a lever pivoted between its ends to said arm, a weightcarried by one end of said lever, a roller journalled upon the other endof said lever, and a track rigid with said supporting structure andguiding said roller in movement toward and away from said axis.

11. A counterweight system for balancing a predetermined load mountedupon a supporting structure for movement about a horizontal axis,comprising an arm connected to said load and extending beyond said axistherefrom, a lever pivoted between its ends to said arm, a weightcarried by one end of said lever, a roller journalled upon the other endof said lever, and a track rigid with said supporting means and guidingsaid roller for movement with the axis thereof substantially within thehorizontal plane in cluding the axis of movement of said load.

l2. A counterweight system for balancing a predetermined load mountedupon a supporting structure for movement about a horizontal axis,comprising an arm connected to said load and extending beyond said axistherefrom, a lever pivoted between its ends to said arm, a weightcarried by one end of said lever, a track rigid with said supportingstructure, and means on the other end of said lever guided by said trackin movement toward and away from said axis.

13. A counterweight system for balancing a predetermined load mountedupon a supporting structure for movement about a horizontal axis,comprising an arm connected to said load and extending beyond said axistherefrom, a lever pivoted between its ends to said arm, a weightcarried by one end of said lever, and means movably retaining the otherend of said lever substantially within the horizontal plane of saidaxis, the effective length of each end of said lever and Vthe effectivelength of said arm from said axis to said lever being equal.

14. A counterweight system for balancing a predetermined load mountedupon a supporting structure for movement about a horizontal axis,

comprising an arm connected to said load and extending beyond said axistherefrom, a lever pivoted between its ends to said arm, a weightcarried by one end of said lever, a roller journalled upon the other endof. said lever, and a track 5 rigid with said supporting means andguiding said roller for movement with the axis thereof substantiallywithin the horizontal plane including the axis of movement of said load,the effective length of each end of said lever and the effective lengthof said arm from said axis of movement of said load to said lever beingequal.

15. A counterweight system for balancing a predetermined load mountedupon a supporting structure for movement about a horizontal axis,comprising an arm connected to said load and extending beyond said axistherefrom, a lever pivoted between its ends to said arm, a Weightcarried by one end of Said lever, a link pivoted at one end to saidsupporting structure and at its other end to the other end of. saidlever to retain said other end of said lever substantially within thehorizontal plane of said axis, the eiective length of each end of saidlever and the effective length of said arm from said axis to said leverbeing equal,

16. In a counterweight system for balancing a load, a counterweight, andguiding means therefor comprising a supporting structure, an armpivotally Vmounted thereon for movement about a given axis and operablyconnected to said load, a lever pivoted between its ends to said arm,said counterweight being connected to an end of said lever, and meansguiding the other end of said lever for movement toward and away fromsaid axis.

17. In a counterbalancing device for a load pivotally mounted formovement about a horizontal axis, comprising an arm extending from saidload beyond said axis of movement thereof, a lever pivoted intermediateits ends to said arm at a point beyond said axis of movement of saidload from the load itself, said point, the center of gravity of saidload, and said axis of pivotal movement of said load all lying in acommon plane, a weight connected to said lever adjacent one end thereof,and means for guiding the other end of said lever in a substantiallyhorizontal path.

18, In a counterbalancing device for a load pivotally mounted upon asupporting structure, an 50.

arm extending from said load beyond the axis of pivotal movementthereof, a lever, a counterweight carried by said lever, meansconnecting said lever to said supporting structure and providing afulcrum about which said lever is adapted to swing, and means connectingsaid lever to said arm whereby the arm is caused to swing in arcuatemotion opposite to that of the lever, at least one of said connectingmeans including means for compensating for the arcuate movements of saidarm and lever.

19. In a counterbalancing device for a load pivotally mounted upon asupporting structure, an arm extending from said load beyond the axisofV pivotal movement thereof, a lever, a counterweight carried by saidlever, means connecting said lever to said supporting structure andproviding a. fulcrum about which said lever is adapted to swing, andmeans connecting said lever to said arm whereby` the arm is caused toswing in arcuate motion opposite to that of the lever, at least one ofsaid connecting means being movable with respect to one of the membersinterconnected thereby to compensate for the arcuate movements of saidarm and lever. 75.

20. n combination, a closure, 'pivot means supporting said closure, aoounterweight and means interconnecting said closure and saidcounterweight whereby their respective turning moments about said pvotmeans are always in excess of zero and are equal to each other in al1positions of said closure.

21. In combination, a closure, pivot means supporting said closure, acounterweight and means interconnecting said closure and saidcounterweight whereby their respective turning moments about said pivotmeans are always in excess of zero and whereby the ratio between said.turning 5 moments is maintained substantially constant.

WESLEY W. EAGER. COLUMBUS A. TIERNEY.

